When people think of Berlin, a few images come to mind. They think of the wall and all of its murals, of a thriving city covered with bustling people, but more often than not, they think of the Brandenburg Gate. Before leaving for Berlin, everyone I knew told me that I absolutely had to see it. I understood that it was a big site in Berlin, that it had a lot of history and a beautiful appearance, but I really didn’t understand its importance.

To get some background knowledge on the Gate, I decided to do a little digging before my departure. When I Googled it, I was amazed at the results. Thousands of images covered the page, each of them demonstrating a critical time in German and world history with the Gate tucked neatly in the back. From Nazis marching in front of it to Germans celebrating the fall of the wall behind it, I was amazed to see that the Gate had witnessed so much of history. A lot of the photos were familiar, such as the one below from MSNBC. These were photos that I had seen in our American media and had never realized that the Gate was in every one.

Now that I understood just how prominent the Gate was, I was really excited to see it in person. It was like meeting a celebrity: something you had seen on TV and the media but now get to see in person. When we finally came across it, it was more incredible than I could have imagined. The sheer mass and size of this structure was jaw-dropping. The detail in each column and the statue at the top was magnificent. I’m not usually interested in buildings and architecture, but the Brandenburg Gate left me speechless.

I was happy to have the opportunity to do further research on the Gate when picking a topic for the blog. Learning the history of the Gate makes seeing it even more incredible. Throughout its history, the overarching theme was clear: the Gate was everyone’s perfect propaganda. The Gate was a symbol of Berlin. When Napoleon stole the statue, he was declaring his ownership of the city. When Nazis marched through the Gate, they were demonstrating their control. And when people stood in front of the Gate to celebrate the end of the wall, it represented a new time for Berlin. Now, seeing it for myself, it’s clear to me why everyone makes such a big deal over a simple Gate. Because this is more than just a Gate, this is Berlin.

-Ellie

***

It was one of the first nights in Berlin when the iconic Brandenburg Gate gleamed through the dark streets as we quickly drove past it. I’ve heard about the Gate in the past as well as seen plenty of pictures but nothing could compare to its majestic reality.

Without knowing the history or past of this marvelous landmark, we searched for this Gate a few days after. Walking up to the Gate gives one a feeling of honor and regality despite anyone’s individual experiences. As I stood with the other students, feeling dwarfed in the Gate’s presence, we observed its features in detail. I noticed the Quadriga on the top of the Gate and was curious as to why it had Greek influence. This is what really struck my interest in learning about the history of this landmark and why it attracts so many people.

The significance of the Brandenburg Gate changed throughout history but its original purpose was to be a grand entrance for royals entering the city. The middle gate was used only for royals while the others for common traffic. It’s interesting now to see it solely as an attraction because the street through it no longer exists. As you walk up to the Gate and pass through, one feels the sense of royalty it was intended to provide. The rich history of the Gate varied with the challenges of Germany and Berlin during wars, the Berlin Wall and many other hardships, creating individual meanings for each person who visits it. This special characteristic has a lasting impact on visitors that observe its beauty, which is the main reason I find this Gate so intriguing to learn about.

Today, the Gate is a gathering place for speeches, celebrations, or any other event where people want to make an impression on the city or the population. It’s presence is truly an honor for the people of Germany and others from all over the world.

The Brandenburg Gate, as mentioned before, has changed significance many times throughout history. Originally it was built as a grand entrance to the city. Many years after, the Berlin wall was constructed and the landmark was trapped in the East and no longer attracted people; however, famous speeches such as those by President Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy were delivered here, providing hope for a reunited Germany. Other prevalent events of the past took place here including a celebration for Adolf Hitler after he was appointed chancellor and, later, for his birthday. After the wall came down the Gate then became a symbol of unity while also maintaining its previous significance –victory.

From the beginning this structure was famous. With its intricate and delicate architecture as well as brilliant design and location, the Gate is hard to miss. While it’s symbolism has changed over time, it’s reputation and popularity only continued to grow.

-Kelly

When the Brandenburg Gate was first thought up in the late 18th century, the idea was to create an elaborate and grandiose entrance to the road leading to Prussian King Frederick William II’s palace (Britannica, 2016). Built at Kaiser Wilhelm’s discretion, the landmark was designed by architect Carl G. Langhans to remember the Seven Year’s War. The Gate was modeled after the Propylaea in Athens and featured 12 Doric columns carved out of sandstone along with a statue of the Greek goddess of victory Nike (Britannica, 2016). After three years of construction, the Brandenburg Gate was completed in 1791. Since its completion, the Gate has come to stand for the many parts of Berlin’s history: victory to war and division to unity.

Throughout the years, the Brandenburg Gate has been the backdrop for a series of significant political events and change. Just 15 years after the Gate’s completion, Berlin became occupied by Napoleon Bonaparte and his Grand Army as seen in the image below (Maranzani, 2013). Under Bonaparte’s command, the statue was torn from the Gate and shipped back to Paris where it remained in storage until the Prussian defeat of Napoleon in 1814 (Maranzani, 2013). When the statue was returned, an iron cross was added to commemorate the Prussian victory, further emphasizing Berlinas a place of triumph and victory.

In 1933 the Gate became a symbol of tyranny, seen below, when Adolf Hitler was appointed as  Chancellor – a role leading to his powerful political climb to the Dictator of Nazi Germany. As Hitler stood on a balcony at the Reich Chancellery the night of his appointment to the chancellorship, Nazi marchers poured through Berlin streets to the Brandenburg gate (World Future Fund). This landmark was used again just six years later in 1939 for Hitler’s 50th birthday where troops marched through the gate followed by Hitler himself and lastly a parade (World Future Fund).

After Hitler and the Nazis were defeated in 1945, Germany and Berlin were divided amongst the Allies. The Brandenburg Gate fell within Soviet territory, and when the GDR constructed the wall in 1961, Berlin’s beloved Gate was separated from the West. During this period, the Brandenburg Gate took on an entirely different image: one of separation and isolation. The Gate was located in what was known as the “death strip”, the obstacle-filled area between two concrete walls on the East side that was designed to prevent escapees (Britannica, 2016). The haunting image below depicts the Brandenburg Gate as it was seen during this period: a constant reminder of the city’s division.

Despite the Wall’s ominous presence, the Brandenburg Gate’s image of division began to shift as memorable speeches given at the Gate sparked hope for the future. Two years after the Wall was constructed, John F. Kennedy delivered a speech at the western side of the Gate to show solidarity with Berlin during the tense period of the Cold War. Delivered in German, Kennedy expressed that “When all [of Berlin and Germany] are free, then we can look forward to that day when this city will be joined as one and this country and this great Continent of Europe in a peaceful and hopeful globe”(President John F. Kennedy, 1963). Twenty-four years after JFK, Ronald Reagan delivered a famous speech at the Gate, addressing America’s support for Berlin and its people (Maranzani, 2013). Reagan closed his speech with one of the most famous and hopeful lines concerning Germany and Berlin’s separation: “Tear down this wall.”

After decades of separation, the Berlin wall was opened on November 9, 1989. That night, the Brandenburg Gate restored its image of unity, becoming the playground for East and Wester Berliners who were reunited at last. Seen in the photo below, people climbed the Wall and celebrated their newfound unity, standing proudly together in front of the Gate for the first time in almost 30 years. The celebration continued for weeks, and the Gate became a site of peace and unity.

One of the most famous celebrations to take place at the Gate was the live broadcast of American conductor Leonard Bernstein’s unity concert. Bernstein conducted an orchestra composed of musicians from the four countries that occupied Berlin postwar, featuring an updated rendition of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony titled “Ode to Freedom” (Maranzani, 2013). The first concert ended at midnight on December 23, the exact moment that the Wall became officially open for good (Maranzani, 2013). Tens of thousands of spectators gathered outside the wall to watch a live broadcast, making it the first TV event that was broadcast to both East and West Berlin in over 30 years (Maranzani, 2013).

After the fall of the wall, the Gate served as the backdrop for more positive and uplifting political speeches. In 1994, President Bill Clinton exclaimed America’s support and excitement for a “Europe united, united in peace, united in freedom, united in progress for the first time in history”(Kennedy, 1994). More recently in 2013, the Brandenburg Gate was the setting for President Barack Obama’s speech during which he reminded Berlin of their allies help during the issues of the Berlin wall and reassured them of his intentions to improve and maintain ally relationships to avoid conflicts in the future and resolve those of previous presidencies.

The Brandenburg Gate is one of Berlin’s most famous historical landmarks. Located in Pariser Platz in East Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate has stood through 200 years of Berlin history. Once a haunting representation of political division, the Brandenburg Gate is now a symbol of Germany’s strength and unity after Soviet control.

The Gate was commissioned in 1788 by Frederick William II to be a grand entrance to the Prussian palace (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). It took three years to construct the Greek-style structure, consisting of 12 Doric columns and stretching 66 feet high (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). Atop the Gate is a statue of the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, put in place in 1793. The statue itself has faced a great deal of historical transitions, including a move to Paris during the French occupation of Berlin from 1806-1814 as well as being featured in a great deal of Nazi propaganda during the 1930s (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016) .

On August 13, 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall enclosed the Brandenburg Gate within East Berlin (A View on Cities, 2016). The Gate was shut down, leaving Pariser Platz as a desolate space symbolizing the political division of Berlin (A View on Cities, 2016). The space to the west of the gate became a notable area for American presidential speeches. Two years after the construction of the wall, John F. Kennedy delivered a famous speech near the Brandenburg Gate reassuring the people of Berlin and Germany that the wall did not signify any plans of war (BBC News, 2013).Twenty-four years later in 1987, millions of Americans watched as a crowd of more than 20,000 gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to hear Ronald Reagan tell Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall” (A&E Networks, 2016).

On November 9, 1989, Reagan’s request was finally answered and the Berlin Wall was opened. To celebrate the occasion, American conductor Leonard Bernstein held a series of concerts featuring artists from all four countries that had occupied Berlin. The first concert was broadcast live to tens of thousands of viewers gathered at the Brandenburg Gate and throughout Berlin, marking the first television event transmitted to both East and West Germany in over 30 years (A&E Networks, 2016).

With its vast history, the Brandenburg Gate is more than just a tourist attraction. The gate stands as a reminder that despite a turbulent past, Berlin is now a beacon of unity and peace.